Improvement in farm-gates



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM H. EODERIOK, OF EAST RUSH, NEIN YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HISRIGHT TO SAMUEL H. KINSEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FARM-GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,049, dated June 16,1874; application filed March 5, 1874.

To all whom it may concern.: T

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. RoDEErcK, of East Rush, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Gates 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description ot' the construction and operation ofthe same.

My invention consists in combining, with an ordinary farm-gate, acompensating` hinge at one end, and a caster-wheel or roller at theother, which runs on an inclined way, which also serves as a stop, thearrangement being such that in the passage ofthe wheel over the way thecompensating hinge will allow the necessary elevation of the gate, ashereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan view, Fig. 3is a diagram, showing the inclined way and roller.

A represents a farm-gate, ot' any ordinary construction, and B B theposts. The gate is arranged to swing on hinges in the usual way. Thelower hinge is the same as ordinarily employed. The upper hinge, O,however, is so arranged as to allow the gate-standard to slide endwisethereon, and thereby compensate for the raising movement ot' the swingend of the gate in passing over the inclined way.

To accomplish thisI construct the hinge with a long arm or shank, a.,which passes loosely through the gate-standard, and also through eyes bI) bolted to the upper rail. At its end i; is threaded and has a nut, c,thereon, which serves as a gage or stop to hold the gate from fallingtoo low in passing over irregularities in the ground. By means of thisnut the gate may be so adjusted as to ride higher or lower at itsswing-end, at pleasure.

At the bottom of the swing-end of the gate is a bearing, d, holding thefriction wheel or roller f. On one or both sides of the conter is aninclined way, g, concentric, with the hinge-end ot' the gate, over whichthe roller passes in opening or closing.' At the inner end is a space,h, into which the roller falls when the gate is fully closed, and bywhich, together with the latch and catch k, the gate is kept in place.At the outer end the way merges with the surface of the ground, overwhich the roller passes in swinging fully open; hence the movement ofthe roller is gradual and uniform.

A mutual action exists between the roller and the compensating hinge,for the latter allows the gate to vibrate or slide upon it as the rollerpasses over the inclined way. If the gate swung in a plane this actioncould not occur. At the same time the nut on the hinge gages the fall ofthe swing-end of the gate, and can be adjusted to any position, so thatthe roller will swing over and clear depressions and irregularities inthe ground where it could not run. By the use ofthe roller the gate canbe swung without lifting it, and when in line with lthe fence the rollerwill drop into the space h and retain the gate in position. No strain orsagging comes on the post ,which can be made as light as commonfence-posts. By the use ofthe roller, also, no heavy strain or rackingcomes on the gate itself.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

In combination with the swinging gate A, provided with a roller, j', thecompensating hinge C, constructed as described, and the incline g, whenarranged to operate together, as and for the purpose set i'oth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WM. H. RODERIOK.

Witnesses JACOB GALENTINE, S. J. RODERICK.

